Modern automobiles include an on-board computer controlling select vehicle functions and providing the vehicle and driver with various types of information. For example, on-board computers control select engine and suspension functions and facilitate communications with other vehicles and remote driver-assistance centers. For instance, the OnStar® system, of the General Motors Corporation, provides services including in-vehicle safety and security, hands-free calling, turn-by-turn navigation, and remote-diagnostics systems.
On-board computers also facilitate delivery to the driver of information and entertainment (referred to collectively as infotainment), such news feeds, weather, sports, and notifications about vehicle location and nearby traffic. Messages transmitted to vehicles can also include new software for the on-board computer, or upgrades or updates to existing software.
Many conventional telematics communication systems transmit messages to on-board computers using only cellular telecommunication. That is, a remote server of the system establishes a wireless connection, over a cellular telecommunication network, with each vehicle for which it has information.
This traditional reliance on the cellular network has various drawbacks. For example, extensive use of the cellular network causes congestion and the cost of transmitting each message to every participating vehicle, or even to a subset of the vehicles, is relatively high.